Modernist Vegetable Purée Stripe (Printer View)

Bold, layered vegetable purées artfully spread on a clean board with fresh garnishes and textures.

# What you'll need:

→ Roasted Beet Purée

01 - 2 medium beets, peeled and diced
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice

→ Carrot & Ginger Purée

05 - 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
06 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
07 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or olive oil (for vegan)
08 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

→ Avocado Cream

09 - 1 ripe avocado
10 - 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt (for vegan)
11 - 1 teaspoon lime juice
12 - Pinch of salt

→ Garnishes

13 - Microgreens such as radish or arugula
14 - Edible flowers
15 - Crushed pistachios
16 - Flaky sea salt

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss diced beets with olive oil and sea salt. Arrange on a baking tray and roast for 30 to 35 minutes until tender.
02 - Steam or boil peeled, sliced carrots for 15 to 20 minutes until very soft. Drain and allow to cool slightly.
03 - Place roasted beets and lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, adding a splash of water if necessary.
04 - Combine cooked carrots, grated ginger, butter or olive oil, and sea salt in blender. Puree until uniformly smooth.
05 - Mash avocado with yogurt, lime juice, and salt in a bowl until silky. Transfer mixture to a piping bag or squeeze bottle.
06 - Using a wide offset spatula or the back of a large spoon, spread a 3-inch wide stripe of beet purée down the center of a clean serving board.
07 - Pipe or spread carrot purée and avocado cream in artistic strokes or dots atop the beet stripe for visual contrast.
08 - Decorate the stripe with microgreens, edible flowers, crushed pistachios, and a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
09 - Present immediately, advising guests to scoop directly from the layered stripe.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like restaurant-level plating but only requires a blender and a steady hand.
  • Each purée can be made hours ahead, so you're really just assembling drama at the last moment.
  • It's a conversation starter that feels like you've unlocked some secret knowledge about color, flavor, and visual balance.
02 -
  • The texture of your purées changes everything—if they're too thick, spreading becomes a frustrating battle; if they're too thin, they won't hold that clean stripe shape you're after.
  • Make your purées at least an hour before serving if you can; they develop deeper color and flavor, and it takes the stress out of last-minute timing.
  • Avocado cream separated from its yogurt partner starts to brown almost immediately, so mix it only when you're ready to plate or keep it under a tight layer of plastic wrap.
03 -
  • Chill your serving board in the freezer for ten minutes before plating; it keeps the purées from sliding around and gives you more control.
  • If your purées separate after blending, a tiny pinch of xanthan gum stirred in will stabilize them without changing the flavor.
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